UPDATE

While we have just one painting available from Sirpa's paintings from her 2022 exhibition with us, please inquire with us about newer works that may be available.  In Fall 2025, we will have our third exhibition with this artist; she will be in attendance for the opening.
 

WORKS IN PUBLIC COLLECTIONS

Malmö Art Museum, Sweden
State Art Collection, Finland
The Finnish Artists’ Foundation
Turku Art Museum, Finland
Tampere Art Museum, Finland
Jenny and Antti Wihuri Foundation Art Collection, Finland
Wäinö Aaltonen Museum of Art/City of Turku, Finland
Parliament of Finland
Artemy Troitsky Collection, Russia
The Viljo Hurme Foundation, Salo Art Museum, Finland
The Aine Art Museum, Tornio, Finland
The School of Fine Arts Collection, Turku, Finland
VMP Croup Collection, Finland

PUBLIC WORKS

Keroputaa Hospital, Tornio, Finland
Topeliuksen koulu (Public School), Turku, Finland
University hospital of Turku, T-Hospital, Finland
Normaalikoulu (Public School) Turku, Finland

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PUBLICATIONS

2022, Sirpa Särkijärvi - (to) reason I (to) sense. Online essay brochure published by Joseph Nease Gallery with an essay by writer/curator Barbara O'Brien.
2019, Sirpa Särkijärvi - Transcriptions.  Essay brochure published by Joseph Nease Gallery with an essay by writer/curator Barbara O'Brien.
2017, Opción, número 201. Opción is the ITAM cultural magazine. ITAM is a private, secular, non profit Mexican institution of higher education. Since 1980 it has been a periodical publication by a content based on free critical thinking and creativity. Director Carlos Alejandro, Art Editor for Opción Alejandra López Villegas, ISSN:1665-4161

2015, Dark Days, Bright Nights: Contemporary Paintings from Finland, Published by Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art, ISBN: 978-0-9962728-1-0
2014, XIX MÄNTÄN KUVATAIDEVIIKOT, toim. Minna Joenniemi, ISSN 1238-478X
2012, 7. AALTO – KUVATAITEEN WIHURI, THE 7th WAVE – WIHURI AND VISUAL ART, Jenny ja Antti Wihurin rahasto, toim. Pirkko Tuukkanen, ISBN 978-952-9554-45-4
2012, FLUX AURA 2011, toim. Tonja Goldblatt & Milla Järvipetäjä, ISBN 978-952-93-0205-5
2011, SIRPA SÄRKIJÄRVI, Maalauksia / Paintings 2006 – 2011, ISBN 978-952-92-9959-1
2011, KUNNIOITA ISÄÄSI JA ÄITIÄSI / HONOR THY FATHER AND THY MOTHERE / XVI MÄNTÄN KUVATAIDEVIIKOT / XVI MÄNTTÄ ART FESTIFAL, toim. Otso Kantokorpi, ISSN 1238-478X
2005, TURKU BIENNAALI 2005 / TURKU BIENNIAL 2005, ISBN 952-99532-1-6
2003, GRR – TURUN TAIDEGRAAFIKOT 70 VUOTTA, ISBN 952-9565-38-0
1998, TALLINNA XI GRAAFIKATRIENNAAL / 11TH TALLINN PRINT TRIENNIAL, ISBN 9985-60-510-1

check with us as we have available English translations of some of these publications

ABOUT

Sirpa Särkijärvi's (b. 1974 in Muonio) paintings are reflections of time. They contemplate human existence and examine relationships of power, gender, behaviour, norms, marginalisation and exclusion. Their energetic painterliness, the power of their colours and their figurative physical force are inextricable from the conflicts of meaning between states of mind, consciousness and the subconscious and their fluctuating nature. Särkijärvi is interested in approaching her subjects from the perspective of literary deconstruction or critical reading to reveal hidden conflicts of meaning. We cannot escape each others' influence. Her paintings are inspired by our motivations, needs and the inconsistency of our actions, which together form the complex entity that the artist attempts to reflect in her work. What is between the lines is also important. Intertextuality, everything that has been experienced, seen and learned influences the artists's interpretation. Finally, viewers also receive and interpret everything in the painting through their own backgrounds and experiences.

Särkijärvi creates her paintings in several long and methodical painting sessions. Her method is technically rather demanding as she uses dozens of pre-mixed colours and it requires a lot of preparation, and development of the idea. Särkijärvi says that her goal is to immerse herself in the work so that painting becomes a tool for thought and contemplation. She paints with fluid acrylics onto a horizontal canvas where the paint flows and mixes to form planes of colour, movements and strokes, and the fragmented structure creates illusions that change depending on the distance they are viewed from. The vibrant and explosive material turns into considered and controlled images of humanity. The paintings seem at the same time out of control and closely controlled, just like the human mind often is.

Sirpa Särkijärvi lives and works in Turku andshe was born in Muonio in Lapland. Her family's long history and deep roots in northernmost Finland have left their mark on her identity and influenced her visual approach.

A recent statement, in English, is Here.